Showdown on salary looms

THEY abandoned a bitter seven-week dispute on the eve of last year’s general election on a promise that the Public Service Benchmarking Body (PSBB) was the only show in town.

Fri, 11 Jan, 2008 - 00:00

Catherine Shanahan

After a series of work-to-rule exercises, escalating to work stoppages, the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) and the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) suspended their campaign for better pay following the intervention last May of the National Implementation Body (NIB).

A statement by NIB on the settlement of the dispute, said: ‘‘It remains open to the unions to put to the Benchmarking Body a case which reflects a very much expanded role for nurses and midwives in the context of enhanced duties, more cost-effective and appropriate skill mixes and more efficient rosters, as have been proposed during discussions between the parties.

“The NIB recommends that the parties should confirm to the Benchmarking Body the scope and potential of such proposed changes and assist the body by outlining the arrangements for verification and validation of such changes. These changes are consistent with the overall Transformation Programme which is underway in the HSE and would deliver significant added value to the health service.’’

Yesterday the PSBB said neither employers nor unions had been specific enough in outlining the proposed changes. “As a general principle the body’s recommendations must be based on the jobs of public service grades as they now exist, and it would not be appropriate to recommend increases on the basis of possible future changes,” the PSBB said.

Last night Mr Doran rejected this criticism and said the INO’s submission was quite clear in spelling out the proposed changes.

The INO and the PNA must now be wondering what options are left open to advance their members’ claims. In the context of their key claim — for staff nurse pay parity with therapeutic grades — they have already used much of the state’s industrial relations machinery.They have had two references to the Labour Relations Commission; two hearings before the Labour Court; and extensive involvement of the NIB. Last night the INO/PNA said they were “absolutely determined that legitimate claims, on behalf of nurses and midwives, will not be pushed from pillar to post in this manner”.

They warned: “The absence of industrial relations processes, capable of fairly, openly and transparently examining claims such as these will inevitably lead to increasing risk of conflict in the workplace.”

The executives of both unions will meet on Monday and Tuesday next to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the report and final decisions on future strategy will then be decided.

They can expect a bitter backlash from members.

Clinical nurse manager III

Existing salary: €55,139 to €62,502.

Recommended salary: €58,888 to €66,752.

Increase: 6.8%.

Assistant director of nursing (non band-one hospitals)

Existing salary: €52,796 to €63,575.

Recommended salary: €58,076 to €69,933.

Increase: 10%.

Director of nursing (band three hospitals)

Existing salary: €64,726 to €73,436

Recommended salary: €71,199 to €80,780.